Lupon Lumads guarantees protection of their rights on ancestral domain

Tribal Leaders of Barangay Maragatas gathered at Sitio Logdeck on October 6, 2017 to discuss the plight of the Indigenous People (IP) in different areas in Maragatas, Lupon, Davao Oriental. Municipal Tribal Chieftain Robert R. Simbahon, former IP Mandatory Representative of the Sangguniang Bayan, said the assembly dubbed as “Pungon sa Tribu” aimed to consolidate issues on Titling of the Ancestral Domain and strengthen the unity of the IPs here.

Among the issues raised during the gathering, which focused on the on-going titling of the ancestral domain of the IP, is the intrusion of the big companies in their land due to logging and mining. Simbahon said these activities have been driving the lumads away from their ancestral land, adding that it also destroys their environment, and gain large profit to the investors while most of them remain impoverished and landless.

The importance of Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) for the IPs, guarantees protection of our rights to our ancestral domain as mandated by the IP Rights Act, Simbahon added.

Said gathering was attended and witnessed by the different Officials of Barangay Maragatas Council headed by Punong Barangay Beverly Rebalde together with its Tribal Chieftain Vicente Catog.

Everyone is happy to be part of this historic gathering of all tribal leaders in Barangay Maragatas.